What is the best way to manage app updates after deployment?

2 App update testing

Before you deploy any updates, it is essential to test them thoroughly to make sure they work as expected and don't introduce any bugs, errors, or vulnerabilities. Additionally, you should assess how your updates affect existing functionality and performance of your app, as well as compatibility with different devices, platforms, and versions. To help with app update testing, you can use unit testing, integration testing, and regression testing - automated tests that check the functionality, reliability, and quality of your app's code and components. Manual tests such as beta testing and user testing involve real or potential users who can provide feedback on your app's features, usability, and design. Additionally, emulators and simulators are software tools that imitate the behavior and environment of different devices and platforms to test your app without having access to the actual hardware.

3 App update deployment

Once you have tested your updates, you need to deploy them to your target users safely and efficiently. It's important to have a way to monitor and manage the deployment process, as well as to roll back or fix any issues that might arise. App store distribution is the most common and convenient way to distribute your app updates, as it leverages existing infrastructure and features of the app store platforms. However, you must comply with the app store policies and guidelines, and wait for approval and availability of your updates. Alternatively, over-the-air (OTA) distribution is a more flexible and direct way to distribute your app updates, but you must manage your own servers and infrastructure. Feature flags and remote configuration are also useful techniques that allow you to control the availability and behavior of your app features without requiring a full app update. For example, feature flags can be used to enable or disable certain features for specific users or groups, while remote configuration can be used to change the appearance or functionality of your app dynamically.

4 App update communication

Finally, effective communication with your users regarding app updates is essential before, during, and after deployment. Additionally, it’s important to have a system in place to collect and respond to user feedback and reviews, as well as to measure user satisfaction and retention. Release notes and changelogs are documents that describe the changes and improvements that your app updates bring, as well as any known issues or limitations. It’s essential to write clear and concise release notes that inform your users about the benefits of your app updates, which should be included in your app store listings or in-app notifications. User surveys and ratings are tools that allow you to solicit and collect user feedback and opinions on your app updates, as well as measure user satisfaction and loyalty. Analytics and metrics can track the performance and behavior of your app and users before and after app updates; this way you can evaluate the impact of your app updates, as well as identify key factors that influence user engagement and retention.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?